My Knight In Black Armor
by Lady Anata
Summary: Now that Brawlers now know who Masquerade is, and Alice is giving it up, they can find Hal-G and take him down, or can they? They get separated only to find out Masquerade is real and he wants Alice, but Shun’s not about to let that happen. Bakugan
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER 1: Falling For You, Or With You**

Alice sat on the ground in tears. How could this be? How could she be Masquerade? How could she have been the one to betray her friends? Some of the only people she had grown to love? How could she have not known?

These were the thoughts running through Alice's head. But, they were not the ones running to her comrades. Everyone looked at each other, not really knowing what to do. What should the say? They all thought they were in a dream, just like Alice wished this was.

Dan, being the leader that he was, walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him through her tears. To her surprise, he gave her his usual grin. Not an evil one. No. One that she had seen on his face many times before. She gave a grim smile back.

"I'm so sorry," she said through sobs. "I had no idea. It was as though he was a part of me, but a different part. Like I was in a blackout of some sort," continued Alice, trying to find some way of explanation, but she could not. She had no idea what was going on. Alice was struggling.

Dan saw this and tried to comfort her. "It's ok," he said, helping her up. "Hal-G obviously had you under some kind of control."

"Yeah," Runo chimed in, running up to the girl who was like a sister to her. "Maybe it was like a mind control or something."

Now it was Julie's turn. "That has to be what it was. The Alice we know would never do such a thing as betray her friend," she said, smiling down at the young girl, who was looking up at them in awe.

"You're just too sweet for that, Alice," Marucho added in.

Alice nodded. _They are so sweet. Even though I betrayed they can still take me back. Well, at least four of them_. She looked back down at her hands that were covered in scratches from her previous battle. Suddenly, a hand reached down to her level. She looked up to see Shun offering her his hand. He gave a small smile that no one else could see unless they were in her position.

"What matters now is that you're on our side, now," he said quietly in his hard voice. Still, it seemed sweet to her. Alice nodded and took his hand.

When she was in a standing position she found herself staring into his eyes. Quickly, she looked away, hiding her blush, and asked, "Hey, guys. Can we go back to the plane, now," she looked at them and smiled. They smiled back. "This outfit is horrible," and with that they all laughed and walked back toward Marucho's plane, and their home, for now.

One thing was clear, though. They had forgotten Masquerade's mask. What a terrible thing that was to do.

* * *

When Alice felt clean again, she came out of the shower. While taking her shower, many, many thoughts ran through her head. They were much like the same she had before.

Finishing putting her clothing on, Alice walked out of her and Runo's room and into the long hall way. Everyone was probably in the living room talking about their next destination, which was unknown to them.

_I feel so much better now...now that I know who I am...where I stand. Now that I have real friends, I know I can make it through it all. They have all just been so kind to me, it is unbelievable. And I know I have many more adventures with them to go. _

"Who knows where we may go next," she said out loud.

Suddenly, the plane went out of control. Alice grabbed onto the nearest railing as the plain went left, right, up, down, and even spiraled. Her grip tightened when she felt the plane accelerate down, and go back up again. This was too much for her.

Frantically, she looked outside, unable to move. There, she saw the problem. Her eyes widened as she heard a chuckle. It seemed rather dark, too. Outside of her window, stood—

* * *

"Masquerade!" everyone in the living room heard that scream. The Brawlers all looked at one another as they tried to move, but fell back down, either on the floor or a chair.

"That sounds like Alice!" exclaimed Julie.

Runo rolled her eyes, "No duh!"

"Did she say 'Masquerade'?" asked Marucho trying to sit up in a good position, but failing.

"Yeah," began Dan. "Let's go!" he said as he tried to walk again, but fell back toward the wall.

Luckily, Shun caught him with one hand.

"Dan, maybe you have not noticed this," Runo said in a calm voice and soon burst out, "BUT EACH TIME WE TRY TO GET UP WE FALL DOWN AGAIN!"

"WELL SORRY FOR TRYING TO HELP A FRIEND!" he screamed back.

The bakugan huddled together on a table to keep safe.

"Can they not argue for all of one second?" Drago asked out loud.

Pyress jumped up and down. "No, they would not be them if they didn't."

"This yelling has got to stop," Skyress said. She seemed rather annoyed.

Everyone started yelling except for the black haired, ninja-like boy. He grabbed on to the closest railing and swung himself back, and then forward, realizing his grip on the railing as he flew out of the room, grabbing Skyress.

"Shun!" they all called after him.

Getting his balance straight, Shun ran down the corridor where he thought heard Alice's scream come from. He was right. They door was now open and the wind was blowing in a fierce matter.

Looking for Alice, he spotted her. She was grabbing on to the railings with all her might. Her eyes were shut closed.

"Alice!" he called. The girl opened her eyes to the pony-tailed boy. By this time, he was at the railing a couple of feet from the door.

"Shun!" she called back, letting one hand go off the bar: the worse mistake in her life. Her other hand soon slipped off and she was heading toward the door. Closing her eyes again, she waited to feel nothing but air. She did not. Holding her by the wrist was Shun, who had grabbed her just in time.

"Nice job, Shun," Skyress said jumping up. The wind took her and she headed toward the door, too. With one hand, Alice caught her. "Thank you," Skyress said as she nodded her thanks.

"Alice what happened?" Shun ask, still holding on for dear life.

"I saw him—Masquearde," she started, her eyes forming with tears. By now the plane was not too far from the ground. She could even see the trees. "He was outside. I think he may have caused the uproar of the wind." Shun nodded. "One second I was walking in to see you guys and the next I practically fell off my feet," she paused a bit, and later continued, "I thought I was masquerade and now he's here and I-I," sobbing she stopped in mid-sentence.

"Alice," Shun whispered, not sure of what to do. "It's okay, I'm here."

"Thank you," she said in between sobs.

"Shun! Alice!" Dan called. The others were behind him, all forming a chain on the rails. "You guys, okay?" he asked. They nodded. "Grab my hand," he called.

As soon as Shun let go of the railing, the wind's speed went up. He and Alice were tossed around, Alice, still holding on to Skyress. Shun, seeing that they were not going to make it, wrapped his arms around Alice, tightly. They soon found themselves falling out of the plane and into the sky.

The wind backed off and rain came in its absence…and it came fast. Dan ran to the door now that the wind let up. "SHUN! ALICE!" he called, but saw nothing.

Falling on his knees he began to weep. They were gone…and God knows where.

* * *

**_I know, I know it is kind of short. Don't worry, the next chapter will be much longer. I decided to give this show a shot and make a story for my favorite characters. Now, I am not in love with this show, but my friend challenged me to see if I could make a fic out of it. So, here we go. _**

**_This story will only have ten chapters, and will revolve around Shun and Alice. Don't worry, the other characters will come back, too. _**

**_See you next chapter and tell me three things you would like to see next,_**

**_MissSakuraUchiha_**


	2. Alive

_**CHAPTER 2: Alive**_

* * *

_**"**_Wake up, please, wake up," a feminine voice whispered in a begged tone. Alice gently put her hands on the person's chest and shook him around. Shun...come on. I need you. I don't know what I would do if-

"Hm...ugh...Alice?" said girl smiled as tears filled her eyes. Shun woke up! Quickly, yet softly, she embraced him with her arms. He just lay there, not being able to move.

Noticing her action and Shun not moving, Alice quickly sat up and blushed a bit. "I'm sorry," she said sweetly. "You must be hurt. Are you okay?" Shun looked at her and shook his head.

"I'm fine," he said, trying to get up. When he was half way up, he fell back down again, back arching due to the contact. He groaned. Alice reacted fast and put her arm underneath his back and gently helped him up. "Thanks," he whispered out.

That's when he noticed it. She wasn't wearing her usual yellow overcoat. Alice was just wearing her tank top and shorts. She had scratches and bruises, but that seemed to be it. Seeing her shiver, he asked, "Where's your coat?"

"Oh!" she said, a smile brightening up her face. "Well, you see. Your shirt was dirty so I took it off and found a river nearby. It's dried by now," she continued on, "but when I came back you seemed a bit cold so I took mine off." Gently, she put her hand to his forehead. "Your fever seemed to die down." With her other hand she gave have him his shirt.

As she took her arm hand away he quickly grabbed her wrist. All time stopped there for Alice. Her heart went wild. He looked at her intently in hey eyes and she looked back. In an instant, she was in his arms, and he stood up, fully clothed, and gave her back her jacket. Gently, he set her on the ground.

"Do we know where we are?" he asked, looking around for any sign of the others. Alice looked down and shook her head.

"And I don't know what happened to the others," she began in a rushed tone. "Did they fall, too, or were they able to make it back out of the storm. Shun, I-," she was cut off by the voice of Skyress.

"Come on," Skyress urged. "We can go look for them from the sky." Shun and Alice looked up to see Skyress fully transformed. Shun picked his orange-headed companion up again, earning a small blush from her, and ran up a tree, jumped off, and onto Skyress's back.

It didn't fully occur to Shun, but it occurred to Alice, that Skyress transformed. "Skyress, if you don't mind my asking, how did you transform?" Alice asked as she sat behind Shun.

"Yeah," Shun added. "We're not even in a Bakugan Battle," he concluded.

This time, it was Skyress's turn to talk. "I, myself, cannot be so sure of what happened and how I transformed. When we fell, I felt this strange power overtake me. I transformed without another thought," she explained. "It was as though we are in Vestroia."

"But we're not," Alice said. "Are we?"

Skyress shook her head. "No, we're still on earth."

* * *

"...And this is where we lost them a day ago," Marucho explained to Joe. They had just picked him up from his house, by plane, and brought him to exact spot where Alice, Shun, and Skyress fell out.

"I feel terrible," Golem said out of nowhere.

"We all do," Tigress added.

"Don't worry, guys," started Joe. "We'll find them." We have, too. I won't lose Alice like this. I won't lose her period. "Come on. Let's start searching for them."

"ALRIGHT!" exclaimed Julie.

"Yeah, let's go," added an enthusiastic Runo, who pumped a fist through the air.

"Okay," Dan agreed. "Marucho, ask your butler to land here," he commanded.

"Right."

A few minutes later, the five brawlers and their bakugan went out to look for their two friends.

"They could be anywhere," Pyress whined. "We'll never find them."

"Don't give me that!" spat out Wyvern.

"He's right," Drago agreed. "We have to find them, for the sake of the world. Becuase," Drago began in an eerie voice. "If what Alice saw was true...Masquerade is still out there."

* * *

It was night time by now, and Skyress's wings became tired. Seeing this, Shun commanded, "Skyress, that's enough for now," he looked down. "Land in that open area. We can rest there."

"Yes," and with a nod, Skyress descended out of the sky. When they reached land, Shun jumped, expecting to find Alice come off right after him.

"Alice come-," he stopped talking when he looked at her. She tried getting up with her arms, but fell back down on Skyress, who, for some unknown reason, could not go back in her ball-like state.

"Alice?" Skyress questioned. "Are you okay?" she asked sincerity in her voice. Knowing that Shun harbored feelings for the girl, she took upon a mother-like act for the girl. She soon became to think of her as her own master, just like she did Shun.

"I'm fine," Alice answered, trying to get up, but falling back again. Shun, with his ninja-like speed, grabbed her before she fell back down on Skyress. "Shun," she whispered.

"Hang on," he said, picking her up bridal style as he jumped off Skyress and landed on the ground gracefully. "What's wrong?" he asked, and she looked away to hide her blush. His voice was full with compassion.

He grabbed her by the chin and made her face him. "I guess I just sprained something," she answered. "I'll be fine." He nodded hesitantly, as though he didn't believe that was just it, and headed toward a tree, Alice still in his arms.

When he laid her by the tree, Skyress came up and put a wing around her, providing warmth. "Rest, child," she told her in a soothing voice, and that was exactly what Alice did.

"Shun, come rest, too," Skyress commanded.

"I'm fine-," but Alice cut him off.

"Please, Shun," she whimpered out, her eyes closed. "You need it," Alice coughed out. Not able to say no to her, he walked to the same wing that covered Alice, and climbed under, next to Alice.

* * *

**_Well, I told you guys this was going to be a short story. No, it's not over, but I don't see the point in writing long chapters...yet. I think Alice and Shun belong together more than every. Don't you?_**

**_Ok, so that's all I have to say. Check out Onyx Waters, which was updated yesterday, and Bloom in Blood, which will be updated on Friday. _**

**_Love,_**

**_MissSakuraUchiha_**


	3. Captive

_**CHAPTER 2: Captive**_

* * *

The black-haired ninja like boy was still asleep, but not in a deep one. He could feel heat against his face...like sunlike. He opened his eyes, hesitantly, and noticed the sun was up high. Looking at his watch, he saw it 11:00 in the morning. Groaning, he tried to move, but was covered up by the wing of skyress, who was still sleeping.

Still, I wonder how she was able to transform without us being in a brawl or anything,Shun thought, but let it go when he noticed Alice was not beside him. "Skyress, get up," Shun called out.

Skyress, hearing that Shun's voice seemed concerned, woke up quickly. "I slept in late," she muttered to herself. Her voice sounded drowsy. The giant bird took her wing off Shun and looked around. "Where is Alice?"

"I don't know," he answered. "But let's start looking for her," he commanded, jumping on top of Skyress. Before Skyress even had enough time to jump into the air, they heard a voice.

"I'm right here," Alice smiled, coming out of the woods with sticks in her arm. Using a long stick, leaves, and mud, she made a pack too, the stick holding it up. Shun jumped down and walked toward her as Skyress settled herself down.

"Are you ok?" was the first thing that came out of the young man's voice. Alice had to turn away slightly.

There he goes with that compassionate voice again she thought in a dreamlike state. "Yes, I am fine," she answered. Putting the sack on the floor and opening it, she continued on, saying, "Last night, when we were flying, I saw a lake a mile back. So, I went fishing."

"But we don't have a rod," Skyress said, looking at the girl. She gasped when she noticed Alice was wet. Quickly, putting a wing on top of the girl, she called, "Shun, take your jacket off and give it to Alice."

"No, it's okay," Alice said assuredly, taking six fish out of the sack. Four were medium size, and two were gigantic.

"You jumped in the lake and caught those fish?" Shun asked, astounded but trying not to show it. She smiled at him.

"Yeah. When Grandpa used to take me on one of his trips, it was always my job to cook," she told, while gathering the wood and starting a fire. She put sticks through each fish, planted it in the ground near the fire, and watched it roast close, due to the fact she was cold. Suddenly, she felt a jacket around her. "Shun," she whispered, looking back at him.

"You're wet and shivering," he answered the question deep within her eyes. "And you got us food, which I should have done. It's the least I could do," he said, watching as she shivered again. He wrapped his arms around, which made her blush some more. Losing the tension that rolled off of her in waves, she laid back, hesitantly against his chest.

From the side, Skyress saw Shun smile, when Alice did this. She smiled at the two. This may be a good thing.

* * *

"Come on guys," Joe said in a hurry. "We have to keep on looking."

"Geeze, Joe, take your time," Julie complained. Her legs were killing her. "Isn't there some other way to move around."

"Can you sprout wings and fly?" asked Runo and Marucho at the same time. Julie huffed and shook her head.

Suddenly, a light alluminated off of Tigrerra. Everyone moved out of the way as they saw her form grow bigger. When the light faded, and they could open their eyes, they saw Tigrerra, in brawl form.

"Whoa!" exclaimed Dan as he looked up. "Runo, are you in a brawl or something?" he asked. Said girl came up from behind him and smacked him upside the head. "Hey!"

"Idiot, do I look like I'm in a brawl?" she asked hands on her hips.

Marucho and Joe walked over to Tigrerra, while Julie clung on to Dan, telling Runo to back off.

"So what do you thing?" asked Joe to Marucho.

"Is something wrong with me?" Tigrerra asked.

"No way," Runo said running over to her Bakugan. "You're perfect...just fine. Right, Marucho?" but said boy could not make up an explanation.

"Actually, I feel good," Tigrerra said. She lay down on the grass and looked at them. "Get on," she said, nodding toward her back.

"ARE YOU CRAZY?!" Pyress screamed.

Drago growled at him and he shut up instantly. "Just get on," he said as he jumped on Dan's shoulder. Soon everyone was on Tigrerra and they were going fast.

"YAY!!" exclaimed Julie, still clinging on to Dan. "An answer to my prayers."

Hang on, Alice. We're coming. Joe thought, not knowing he had said Alice's name.

Runo looked at him.

Does he like Alice?

* * *

"Alice, this is good," Skyress complimented, finishing one of her big fish in a single gulp.

Alice giggled. "Thank you," she said. Shun's arms were still wrapped around herm whether he knew it or not. He probably doesn't even realize it, thought Alice, looking at the ground.

As if he could read her thought, he tightened his hold on her. Again, she blushed. "We have to get out of here," Shun began. "I don't like it."

Suddenly, before Alice could say anything, Skyress whipped her head up. "Do you hear that?" she asked the two teenagers. Both shook their head. Skyress got up and took a defensive stand in front of the children. "Shun, put Alice behind you," she glanced at them, "closely."

"Hm, how cute," chuckled a voice from the sky. Three heads abrutly looked up, seeing Masquerade on top of Hydranoid. "Did you forget about me already, Alice?" he asked. "About us?"

She flinched behind Shun, who took a defensive stance. "Alice is through with you, Masquerade," Shun said, angrily.

"Oh no," he corrected. "It is just beginning," and with that, hydranoid swoop down toward Shun and Alice. Skyress went in his flying path and spit a fireball out her mouth. Hyrdanoid dodged it and this time, spat water out of his mouth toward Shun. Again, Skyress threw him a fireball, setting steam in the setting.

From up in the sky, they heard a feminine scream. Shun looked behind him to see Alice not there. When they looked up, Masquerade had Alice in his arms, her struggling. "See ya," he said as they began to fly off.

In an instant, right behind him was Skyress and Shun. "Alice!" he called, as Skyress spat another fireball out.

**_

* * *

_**

**_There we go, chapter three. Like I said before, this story will not be long, so Random: hopefully this helps you out. Shun starts to seem OOC because this story is not going to be long enough for him to stay himself that long. If you don't get it, that's ok, because I don't even get it. LOL!_**

**_Well, I hope you liked this chapter. Anyway, if you read my stories, Bloom in Blood and Onyx Waters, here's your announcements. By Monday, the next chapter of Onyx Waters will be done. By Thursday, the next chapter of Bloom in Blood will be done. I am on a role. _**

**_See ya,_**

**_MissSakuraUchiha_**


	4. Smile

**CHAPTER 4: SMILE**

* * *

"Let me go," Alice struggled against Masquerade who straddled her by her waste. Her fists flew up and down, around and around, anyway she could find a way to attack she tried.

Masquerade just shook his head and let out a throaty chuckle. "Your attempts are futile," he used his hands to pin her arms down on Hydranoid, whom they were still flying upon. Alice, tired from her attacks, dropped her arms. Masquerade smirked, "Cooperate with me, sweetie."

Alice grounded her teeth together when she heard his nickname for her. Suddenly, Hydranoid began to shake from beneath them. Masquerade quickly let go of her to see what had hit them. Alice sat up and smiled when she saw him. "Shun!" she called in relief as she tried to stand.

Terrible mistake.

Hydranoid did a sharp left turn and flew toward Skyress and Shun. Alice tumbled back and forth till she fell of. Quickly, Masquerade grabbed her. Looking at her sternly he said, "Hold on and don't let go. You belong to me," he whispered into her ear as he pulled her up a bit and gave her quick kiss on the cheek.

"Wrong," she whispered back as she kicked upward. Just like she thought, he let go of her, and she fell toward the ground beneath them. She seemed to be falling from high places a lot, lately.

"Let's get her, Hydranoid," Masquerade commanded, but he soon found himself and Hydranoid being thrown away. They were hit by Skyress, who was now in the same spot that Alice had fallen.

"Shun, be careful," she called, watching her master jump from off of her he used his ninja speed and caught her.

"Shun," Alice said, looking up at him. He looked back down at her, before he fell on his arm on the forest floor.

"Ugh," he hissed out as he hit the ground. Alice quickly got up and looked down at him.

"Skyress!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.

* * *

"Did you guys hear that?" questioned Runo.

Tigrerra growled. "That sounded like one of Skyress' attacks."

"We must be close then," Julie said after a while.

"But who knows how far and why she attacked," Drago said, looking intently on the ground beneath them.

Suddenly, a dark shadow over-loomed them. Looking up, Pyress and Marucho said at the same time, "I think that we're close."

"That looks like Masqueraid!" cried Dan.

"He may know where Alice is!" Joe called to the others.

"And shun!" Golem said.

"When I get my hands on Masqueraid!" Dan grounded out. Suddenly, a bright light engulfed them. When the light subsided, Drago and Wyvern emerged, as full dragon.

"Get on!" Wyvern called to the kids.

"Right," they said in unison and tigreera went back to her sphere form. Runo caught her as she ran on top of Drago with Marucho and Dan. Julie and Joe were on Wyvern, who was flying toward hydranoid.

* * *

Eyelids fluttered up, revealing butterscotch orbs. Shun looked at the nighttime sky. I guess it won't be that easy getting out of here, he thought. Suddenly, his eyes widened. "Alice," he called, trying to get up, but feeling a electric shock go through his left arm. He couldn't move.

"Shun," a feminine voice called as Alice rushed toward him. He looked up at her and saw her concerned face. When she got to him, she kneeled down. "You shouldn't be moving yet. You were hurt pretty bad when you...uh...caught me."

For a moment, there was silence.

He looked at her and she looked at him.

When she noticed this, she blushed and looked away. At the same time she did that, he looked away, too.

"Skyress is patrolling the area. She should be back soon," she said, gathering enough confidence to look back at him. "If you need anything, just ask," she said getting up to walk back to the tree across the field.

When she turned around, she saw him shudder. It is getting pretty cold out, she pondered to herself. She walked back to him and took her overcoat off and lay it on him. He abruptly looked up, seeing a smile on her face. "It's cold," she said quietly as she turned around once again to go back to her stop.

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her gently on the ground next to his good arm. With his good arm, he brought her coat to cover them both. "You'll be cold too," he whispered. Looking away, she blushed.

It was quiet for a while. Shun was going to ask Alice something when he felt a small amount of weight on his right shoulder. He looked down to see Alice resting her head on him.

Showing a small smile, he gently, yet hesitantly, put his head on hers and closed his eyes.

...

...

...When Skyress got back from her rounds she smiled seeing the site before her. This may work out.

There, at the foot of that tree, sat a sleeping Shun and Alice. Alice, with her head resting on his shoulder and arm around his waste and Shun, with his head on top of hers and arm wrapped around her shoulder. She smiled more when she saw something else.

...her master had a smile on his face...one she had never before seen.

* * *

**_ I know, I know. It's short! But I have been really busy of late and you know. Anyway, I would like to thank a special person, whose name I cannot say, but she really helped me out and YOU GUYS, too. If it weren't for her, you would not have had this chapter out! So, girl, thanks!_**

**_So, what do you think is going to happen in the next chapter? I wonder, too. You know, I don't really have a SET plot for this story, but it comes as I right. This is NOT a crack fic so it will have a plot._**

**_Thanks for all your reviews..._**

**_And I know what you think: MASQUERADE LIKING ALICE? BUT THEIR THE SAME PERSON!! _**

**_WELL I SAY: WHO CARES THIS IS MY STORY SO SHUT UP!!_**

**_Love,_**

**_MissSakuraUchiha_**


	5. Reunited

**Chapter 5: Reunited**

* * *

Eyelids fluttered open to reveal burgundy-colored orbs, which belonged to Alice . Where am I, she thought to herself, looking around at her surroundings. She was laying up against a tree that was in a beautiful meadow. The sun was setting, she noted, looking at the beautiful color the sky took.

Wow, she thought, looking up into the sky. Her gaze shifted when she felt a tug on her waist. Looking down, she saw an arm wrapped around her waste possessively. Following the arm up to see whom it belonged to, she almost gasped. There, sat Shun, sitting next to her, looking up at the sky like she was a few moments ago.

"Shun," Alice called barely above a whisper.

"It's beautiful," the young man merely stated, his gaze still looking at the sky. "The sky."

Alice nodded her head and let her gaze return back to the sky. "It is. It reminds me of home," she commented absentmindedly. Shun turned to look at her when she said this, noting that girl never usually talked about her home. "How's your arm?" she asked, turning back to look at him. She gasped.

Now that his head was turned toward hers and her head toward him, they found their faces close, real close. If she were to move forward two inches their noses would have touched.

It was silent.

"Let me check it," she said, trying to get out of the awkward state they were currently in. It worked, to her favor.

Again, it was silent.

"There we-," Alice began when she finished, but was soon cut off by the voice of Shun.

"What is your home like?" he asked her, turning his head and gaze back to the sky.

"In Moscow ?" she asked. He nodded. Turning her head to the sky, she began, "It's beautiful.. Where Grandpa and I lived, we could see the sunset and the stars every night. You see, Grandpa lived in the woods in a quaint mansion. He said it was good for me. We had workers who did things for us there. Since he went on excursions and stuff a lot I usually stayed at home with them."

Absentmindedly, she rested her head on Shun's shoulder. Shun noticed this and glanced down at her, a small smile on his face.

"I didn't really know my mother and father," Alice said, and Shun could hear the sadness in her voice. She continued on, "So, I can't really say what it was like with them. I just wish I knew what it was like to have a mother and a..." her voice died off as her eyes traveled to where Skyress lay resting.

...

"What do you want to know?" Shun asked. He was still looking at the sky, but could feel when Alice sat up and looked at him. "About a mom, I mean. I never had a father, but I had a mother, so-," he looked at Alice who was smiling at him.

"Do mothers really make you clean up your room so much?" she asked, curiosity showing in her voice.

Shun chuckled and answered, "Yes, yes they do."

After that, her questions rocketed off.

* * *

"Give it up, Masquerade!" Dan called. Drago and Wayvern were on his tale, the kids on top of them. Drago spit out another fire ball, which Hydranoid countered with water spewing out of his mouth.

"Wayvern, fly above him and shoot out ice shards," Joe commanded. Wayvern nodded at her master's instructions and flew above Hydranoid, ice in her mouth.

"Now, Joe!" Julie exclaimed.

"You heard her, Wayvern!"

Ice came out of said dragon's mouth, a lot of it, too. Quickly, yet smoothly, Hydranoid was able to dodge them.

"Hn, you guys are boring me now," Masquerade called.

"Where are Alice and Shun?!" asked Runo, who was enraged and now trying to jump off and pumble Masquerade. If it weren't for Dan and Marucho holding her back, she may have done it.

"Why would I know?" asked Masquerade smugly.

"Because Hydranoid has an injury, one in which looks like Skyress did it," Drago called back, trying to shoot another fire ball. Again, it missed.

"I'm tired of your games," Masquerade said, his tone amused. Hydranoid quickly turned around, flew over to Wayvern and, with his wing, knocked her off her balance, which led her to fall on Drago and the others. "See ya later...or not," Masquerade called, flying away.

Upon the contact, Drago and Wayvern turned back into their sphere form, letting everyone fall in the sky.

"AHH, SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING!?" Marucho screamed through the air.

"GOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLEM!!" Julie screamed.

A bright light over took them. As it passed, they saw Golem, who now wrapped his hard arms around the kids.

"Now we're falling faster!" Joe exclaimed.

"Well, I guess this is the end guys," Dan said, his eyes wide. "Man o man, I wish I could tell Shun how good a friend he was."

...

...

...

Suddenly, Golem stopped falling and instead was...flying? "Why don't you tell him later?" a female voice asked.

"SKYRESS!!" everyone called. Alice poked her head from her wing.

" Alice !!" Runo called happily.

* * *

"Oh, I'm so happy you're okay," Runo said once they reached the ground, hugging Alice . "You are okay, right?" Runo asked as they continued to walk through the jungle like area.

Alice giggled. "I'm fine," she said, holding a Skyress who, like the others, was back in her sphere form.

"Where's Shun?" asked Dan desperately, as they entered the meadow Alice and Shun woke up in.

"Right here," called Shun who was trying to use his hurt arm to get up and walk over.

Before Dan could say anything, Alice ran over to his side and supported him. "Shun, I told you, you should stay down or at least wait until I come back!" she scolded.

"The boys hardheaded," Skyress commented, jumping on her master's shoulder.

The gang ran up to them. Dan took one side and Joe the other. They walked over to the tree, as did the rest of the gang, and they all sat.

"Let me guess," Joe said. "Masquerade did this." Alice nodded her head, wrapping Shun's arm again with whatever she could find. Seeing this, Marucho took out a white box from his pack, and gave it to his sister figure.

"Thanks," Alice said to him, opening the medical kit. When she was done wrapping Shun's arm, she gave a smile to her friends. "What's wrong?" she asked them.

"We're just...so happy you're okay," Julie said, tears brimming in her eyes. Runo shook her head and grabbed Julie.

"Come on, Alice," she called as she dragged Julie to a tree further from the boys and Alice.

Alice hesitantly got up, looked at Shun, and asked, "Are you sure you'll be okay?" Shun looked up at her and gave her a small smile.

"I'm fine. Go, the girls are waiting." She smiled and ran to where Julie and Runo sat. Shun sighed and rested his head against the tree behind him. When he opened his eyes again, Dan sat in front of him, his face set in a goofy, yet sly smile. "What?" he asked, his voice carrying irritation in it.

"You like Alice," Dan said, his smile still plastered on his face. Marucho's and Joe's eyes widened at this assumption. Shun had to turn his head so the others couldn't see the red on his face.

"Dan, don't you think you should say something else to Shun other than that?" Marucho asked, trying to change the subject.

Joe jumped in. "Yeah. I'm sure Shun has other things on his mind. Right, Shun?" Joe asked, but his voice held something in it that only Shun heard.

Shun looked at Joe, then to Dan and Marucho, and looked back up at the nighttime sky. "Goodnight," he said, resting his head back on the tree.

I KNEW IT, Dan thought.

On the other side of the meadow...

"So you care for Shun?" Julie asked.

Runo smacked her on the back. "Keep it quiet!!" she screamed.

"But Runo, you're the one who's yelling now!" Julie whined.

Seeing that her friends were about to get in an argument, Alice spoke up. "Yes," she whispered. They looked at her, eyes widened. "I think I do care for Shun, but he doesn't care the same way I do for him," tears brimmed in her eyes.

Runo put her arm around her friend and Julie rested her head on Alice's shoulder to comfort her. "I've seen the way he looks at you," Runo said, trying to console her friend.

Alice looked up at her.

"Just right now," Julie yawned out before sleep overtook her.

Alice was about to say something, but noticed they were both sleeping. Looking across, she saw Shun looking at her. Quickly, she averted her eyes to the ground and gave a small smile.

00

"I almost had her to, doctor," Masquerade spoke, his head down.

...

...

"We end this in three days and that's final," Hal-G spoke up.

Masquerade chuckled. "As you wish, but what about the others?"

"Kill them."

* * *

**_Dun Dun DUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!! Sorry, I just needed some kind of affect or something. Anyway, let me start by saying we are half way through the story now. You see, if I knew my story would have done so good I would have made the plot longer, but I already wrote everything out. Don't worry the sequel will be longer. _**

**_Also, I will not be here for a week. I am on vacation, so don't look for another story until...um...next Monday. LABOR DAY!! That's your gift. _**

**_Thank you for all the reviews._**

**_Love,_**

**_MissSakuraUchiha_**


	6. Scriptures

**Chapter 6: Scriptures**

"GOOOOOOD MOOOOORNING!!" a loud voice could be heard from across the highest mountain. Among that voice, groans could be heard from the direction the voice came from. These groans did not seem happy at all.

"Julie, it's early in the morning!" Runo complained loudly, rubbing her eyes and stretching in unison. Balling her hands in fist, she punched Julie on the head, leaving a bump.

"Owwwwww, Runo, that hurt," Julie said, rubbing her head. There was already a lump growing on it. "Did you have to that?"

"Seriously, Julie," Dan complained, "it's too early in the morning and we haven't gotten enough sleep."

"But Dan," Marucho began, looking at the sky, "if my calculations and the position of the sun are right, than it's only about 10 am."

Joe laughed. "And for Dan that means it is too early," at this comment everyone laughed, except for Dan who sat their pouting.

"Hey you guys, Alice?" Runo asked, head turning from side to side looking for said girl. Hearing this, Shun, who sat against a tree across from them quickly stood up and scanned the clearing they were in. Everyone else did the same.

Prayess waddled over to wear Marucho stood, along with the other bakugan. Marucho looked at Prayess and asked, "Have you guys seen Alice anywhere?"

"Yes," Wyvern answered.

"She woke up a couple of minutes ago and walked away," Golem said, jumping on to Julie's shoulder. The other Bakugan did the same.

"I would say about a half an hour ago," Drago concluded.

Runo had tears in her eyes from worrying about her friend. "M'lady, please calm down. I'm sure Alice is just fine wherever she is." Runo merely nodded her head.

"She was crying," Skyress spoke quietly on Shun's shoulder. Everyone turned to look at her, fear evident in each of their eyes. Shun tensed a bit, hearing this revealing observation. "I believed she went toward the riv-," but Skyress's voice was soon drowned out by the speed of Shun running toward the river they had found a day back or so.

The others followed closely behind him, but they couldn't keep up with Shun's ninja-like speed. Soon, they were left alone in the woods.

Dan was the first to stop, causing everyone to bump into him and, too, stop. "SHUN!!" he called out, but put his head down with a feeling of defeat.

"There's no point in screaming, Daniel," Drago scolded.

Tigrerra agreed. "Let's just head back to the clearing at wait for them."

"Yes, since they have been here longer, they probably know this area a lot better than we do," Golem said as the group headed back to the clearing.

"I just hope Alice's okay," Joe whispered softly, so soft that only Runo, who was next to him could hear. Looking down, she saw his hands clench when he said that.

Could it be he is jealous of Shun?

* * *

"Once among this earth, there were seven legendary warriors waling upon it to protect us from the dangers of the other dimensional beings. They were both young emotionally and physically. Out of these seven, there were two sent here from the heavens especially to protect this earth in the ways only they could. Combined with their friends, they were called the Shard Collectors.

There were once shards scattered among this planet by one strong dimensional being to protect both worlds. Sadly, some evil was beings from both dimension worlds got a hold of these things and the shards grew tainted. Shards that were once pure and white as snow were now as dark as the moonless night.

The dimensional being that scattered the shards searched and searched, but realized he could not do this on his own. He would need help, not only from his beings, but also from the beings of the other world. With his last two shards that he had, he entrusted them to two human beings. The Pure Ones. His dying wish was for the world-both worlds-to once again be in peace, and maybe for them to one day live together. Darkness overtook this being, and nothing was ever heard from him again.

...The chosen ones were never found, but the shards remain here."

"That sounds very interesting," Alice quickly turned around and saw Shun standing right behind her. He soon sat on his knees, looking at the stone more than her.

Alice nodded. "Yes, it does. I heard about this as a story time, but I never believed for it to be true. My mom told it to me."

...

...

...

"So have I."

Alice looked at Shun and he looked at her. Putting his hand to her cheek, he stated, "You were crying."

Turning her head in shame, Alice nodded. She gasped when she felt an arm grip her around the waste. Alice soon found herself leaning against Shun's chest, his chin on top of hers. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, almost in a whisper, but not quite.

Alice turned her body and cried onto his chest. "I just miss them so much."

Shun sat there, baffled. He had no idea what he was to do. Luckily for him, Skyress spoke up. "It's okay Alice. Everything will be just fine now." Skyress looked at Shun, and he took this as his cue to say something, but something else caught his eye on the stone.

"The ones who can read this are the chosen ones, yet they must do it in unity," he read aloud, as Alice and Skyress turned to look at the stone. Quickly, they both stood up and walked over to look at the stone more clearly. The last words seemed to be in a different language. "I can read some of it," Shun said aloud. "The Pure Ones are we...and that's all I got."

...

"I see!" Alice spoke up. Shun looked at her. "...and the shard is what we're here to protect."

Suddenly, an earthquake was felt beneath them and a bright light over took them. The last thing they could hear were a feminine scream as they were overtaken...and it was definitely not from Skyress or Alice.

* * *

"Let us go, Masquerade!" Runo demanded. They were currently locked in an iron barred cage. "Tigrerra, transform or something," she whispered out.

"I'm trying, but I don't feel a thing, m'lady," she said quietly.

"None of us do," the rest said in unison.

"It's the end of the line for you guys," Masquerade said and began to chuckle.

What were they to do?

* * *

**_I am really too tired to comment...I'll comment tomorrow._**


	7. End Of The Beginning

**Chapter 7: End Of The Beginning**

A beautiful shade of sky blue covered an area. Three figures-two human-like ones and a bird-were floating amongst the beautiful color. It was as though they were sleeping, dreaming maybe, in the barren area, which looked as though it went on forever. They just lay there, floating amongst the sky.

An arm belonging to the beautiful red-headed girl twitched a bit. Soon, it began to move fully. Shaking her head, Alice slowly opened her eyes in a tired motion. After a couple of seconds, she regained her composure, and looked around. What she saw made her gasp...not because she was scared, but because of the beautiful sight before her. Or, in this case, the beautiful sight around her.

To Alice, it was as though she was floating on the sky without a problem. The only problem with this, she knew, was there were no clouds. No birds. No feeling of wind. No...nothing. It seemed all like a dream to her. To her, it was as though she was in another demension. Looking around she saw Shun and Skyress, who was in her monster state.

_How to get over there? _she thought silently to herself. Closing her eyes in frustration, she tried calming herself. Suddenly, she found herself moving. Opening her eyes in surprise, she suddenly stopped. Alice looked around and noticed that she had moved a bit in the spot she was in a few seconds ago. Deciding to try it again, she closed her eyes and let the calming begin. As she felt calm, Alice felt herself moving again. She then concluded that whatever she was doing was the right thing to do.

Feeling that she was near to Shun and Skyress, she opened her eyes and stopped moving. Right next to Alice lay a sleeping Shun and what seemed to be a meditating Skyress.

"Skyess?" Alice called quietly, not wanting to wake Shun or Skyress up if Skyress was actually sleeping. Not receiving an answer Alice decided that Skyress was still asleep.

"How did you do that, Alice?" Skyress asked out of the blue. This caused Alice to jump a bit and abruptly turn around. Seeing the look of confusion in the young girl's eyes, Skyress explained her question. "How did you float over here, when I have been trying for a while to fly over to you?" Skyress explained, looking at Alice more closer.

Alice looked at her hands and next her whole body. Skyress took this as an answer saying she had no clue. "Honestly," Alice spoke up after checking herself over for anything out of the order, but found nothing. "I have no idea. I just closed my eyes and tried to relaz and I found myself to the two of you." Looking back up at Skyress she went on saying, "It felt strange...but somehow, natural. Like I was born to do this."

"You were," a feminine and masculine voice said in unison. Skyress and Alice looked around the area, but wherever their eyes went, all they saw was blue.

"Who's there?" Skyress asked as she protectively put a wing up in front of the sleeping Shun and Alice. After receiving no answer for a while Skyress grew enraged. "Answer me!" she called out louder.

Seeing that her friend was angry, Alice put a hand on Skyress's left wing. "Calm down. It's ok, Skyress." As soon as she said this her hand that was resting on Skyress started to glow a deep, dark blue. Skyress felt her nerves cool a bit as she relaxed.

"I don't know how you did it, Alice, but you seemed to help me calm my angry facade," Skyress explained when she felt Alice' s hand come off of her wing. Alice looked up at her and smiled.

"Like we said before," the feminine voice from before spoke up again. Skyress growled.

"It's the girl's destiny," finished the masculine voice.

Alice had enough of this. "Please, show yourself. We pose no threat!" she called to what seemed like no one.

...

...

"How stupid do you think we are? We know this, already," called back the masculine voice. Alice flinched at the tone he used.

"Excuse him, he's just a bit crabby today," the feminine voice said as she tried to excuse her partner. "If you want to see us, you must follow the light, which is to the left of you."

Without any words, but only looks, Skyress scooped Shun on her back, with the help of Alice. Alice jumped on.

"Are you ready?" asked Skyress.

"Let's do this," Alice answered back, confidence full in her tone. Closing her eyes, Alice put both palms on Skyress's back and closed her eyes, concentrating. Soon Skyress felt herself moving toward the light that was ahead of them.

* * *

"Let us go!" Julie screamed out from behing her cell. The other five brawlers were currently stuck in a dark cove inside a wet, sticky cell. They each had their own. Divided they could do nothing, so why not make them all feel comfy with their very own damp cells.

Masquerade chuckled at the pleas he was now hearing. He had to admit, though, the one with the long ponytail was very annoying. He sighed. _Everyone has their own personality. _He looked back at Julie, whom was still whining. _She is definitely the annoying one. _

"Julie," Marucho called in a comforting, yet scared voice. "You're being to loud. It's giving me a headache," he called from his cell.

"Is that all you can seriously think about, Marucho?! Your head!" Dan screamed out in utter frustration.

Again, Masquerade sighed. _How pathetic. They call themselves the Bakugan Brawlers, yet they cannot even stop arguing for a couple of seconds. It's amazing they can get anything done. _

"Let us go, you creep!" Runo demanded in a whiney voice. She had her hands grasped around the rails that were dividing her from breaking Masquerade's head open. "You'll be sorry if you don't let us go now!"

How much more of this could Masquerade take? He was usually a patient person, but not this patient. Their battering was becoming invigorating. He swore that if he and Hal-G didn't find Alice and Shun soon they would be dead ahead of their original plan. Masquerade smirked at this thought. Then he, Hal-G, and Naga would have no problem controlling both worlds. Plus, he could always go after Shun and Alice later...and he would then make her his queen in front of Shun's dying figure. This almost made him chuckle.

"If you're waiting for Alice and Shun to come in unprotected and without a plan," Masquerade opened his eyes and looked at Joe, whom was now talking. "Shun's going to let you down." The other brawlers looked at him. Runo agreed.

"Yeah! Shun wouldn't let anything happen to Alice without a fight. He probably already has a plan to put you in your place!" Runo chided on, looking both at the grimacing Masquerade and Joe who had now tensed up. She had hit a nerve, in both of them.

"Silence!" Masquerade demanded, rising up out of his throne-like chair. He silently floated down toward them and stopped when he was a few feet from Runo's cell.

"Hey! Don't touch her!" Dan screamed.

Masquerade merely kept his gaze on Runo and chuckled.

"What's so funny, you freak?!" Runo and Julie asked in unison.

Still, Masquerade continued to chuckle. "You guys are. Thinking how great Shun is that he could stop me from obtaining my goal. In a way, though, you saved you and your friends." He continued, directing his attention to Runo only. "You see, I was thinking of getting rid of you guys right now. But, I think I would like it better if you see your amazing Shun get out-witted."

...

...

And the smile that shown on his face was one that was so sinister, that the brawlers actually worried not only for the world, but for their lives.

* * *

A soft moan escaped Shun's mouth. His eyelids slowly opened, his eyes meeting Alice's face. Shaking his head, he slowly sat up, Alice inching away as he inched up. When he was fully sitting up, he felt two arms embrace him. It was Alice. "Oh, Shun! I was so worried!" she cried, still holding on to him.

Shun wrapped his arms around her too, a little bit hesitantly, but did it anyway. "I'm sorry," he whispered out. Finally realeasing their grasp, Shun asked, "Where are we? All I remember is a bright light and...nothing-my mind drew a blank."

Alice let her head go down, it seemed as though she was ashamed. "Do not fret, young ones," Skyress spoke up. "Just stick together and we will find out soon."

Now that Skyress could fly on her own, Alice decided it was time for her to tell Shun all that he had missed. When she was done, Shun felt dumbfounded.

"So...you're telling me you have-this ability-that lets you levitate yourself and other objects around you?" Shub asked, but not in a skeptical tone. He actually believed it. Alice shook her head.

"Watch," she called as she closed her eyes. Different emotions wrapped around her as she closed her eyes. Shun kept his eyes on her, more or less, on her face. Next thing you knew, Alice was floating silently, still keeping up with the flying form of Skyress.

"See," Skyress called to her master. "It's amazing isn't it, Shun?" Shun was still looking up at her with awe in his feautures.

"Yes...yes she is," Shun whispered out.

Alice heard this, and a light blush covered her face. Suddenly, she let a scream rip from her mouth as she felt herself falling through the sky. She had lost concentration and couldn't gather it back.

"Alice!" Shun called as he watched her fall. Not sure if he was thinking clearly, he jumped off of Skyress's back, who was now trying catch them both, but was coming to a narrow moutain area. She would not be able to make it through.

"Shun!" a feminine voice called from nowhere.

Shun instantly noted this and knew it had to be the voice that Alice was telling him about. "You're one of the voices!" Shun called as he fell, nose first, through the sky.

"You must go toward the left side of this cliff. Run on it!" she instructed. At this point Shun thought she was crazy. No one would be able to that. Not even someone who was a dignified ninja.

"Don't doubt yourself," the masculine voice called. Shun jumped a bit at how deep his voice sounded. "The first step to accepting your power is the ability to not doubting yourself. Now do it!" he commanded.

Shun, pushing all of his doubt to the back of his head, connected one foot to the left side of the cliff and started running like it was nothing. It was as though he was running on a flat, level surface, rather than on a steep, rocky surface. Coming up close to Alice he slowed a bit.

"Now jump!" both voices screamed in unison.

And that is exactly what he did. As he jumped across to the other side of the cliff he captured Alice in both of his hands as if he had been doing this forever. Connecting one foot to the right side Shun felt himself, with a weird-like speed, run back up the cliff as though it was nothing. When he got back up to the cliff he still couldn't stop. He found himself continuing to run, now coming up to a gigantic bolder. The doubt he had put in the back of his head had come back out.

"Shun, listen to me!" the feminine voice spoke again. "Put Alice on your back and with the same amount of speed, run toward the bolder, with a fist and punch it."

Shun, as if it were his mother commanding him, ran faster toward the bolder, Alice now on his back.

"Now, Alice," the masculine voice called. "You listen to me. As soon as Shun's fist connects with the bolder, I need you to put up a forcefield around the both of you."

"But...I-I ca-," before Alice could finish she was cut off by Shun.

"Alice I trust you," he said as his fist connected with the bolder. Alice's eyes widened at his words and felt a new emotion build up in her. One that made her want to protect him as though he and her had this special bond.

Shun felt his feet come to a stop. They had made it! Not even a spot of blood on their cheeks. Her forcefield had worked. When Shun stopped, Skyress was there to meet them. Quickly, he jumped on her back as she continued toward a new light that had formed. It looked like a hole to another demension.

"Amazing job, you two!" Skyress commended. "It was as though you two were doing it since birth!"

Alice blushed slightly and Shun looked the other way...embarrassed.

"Beautiful work, young ones," both voices said in unison.

Shun, getting impatient, called back, "Why don't you show yourself."

"Patience, child," the masculine voice chided. "All questions will be answered in due time. All you must do is go through this hole and your questions will be answered by the one who knows this all."

And when they went through the hole, they saw the most beautiful thing in the world.

...something that would help.

...something that would hurt.

...something that would lead to destruction.

...somthing that would lead to world peace.

...something that would bring hatred.

...something that would bring love.

...something that would be the end of the beginning of their lives as they know it.

* * *

**_"...something that would be the end of the beginning of their lives as they know it." Now that, is deep. Happy New Year, by the way! I finally got this chapter out. It's a start of a new year, so why not make it the start of the ending of My Knight In Black Armor. Yep, you heard it from me. There are only three more chapters until this story is over. I know...that was short. _**

**_Well, I have a confession. My Knight In Black Armor was only to be a competition fic and I did not think it would do so well. So, looking at how far we are at now, I decided to take some more depth into this. And with more depth comes...a sequel. Yet, I am not so sure if I will do it or just leave it hanging for you guys to all use your imaginations. I'll see. _**

**_So, what do we think of tis chapter? Since it took so long to get out I made it longer for my apology. Don't you wonder who those voices are? Are what Masquerade is really planning? Or what this beautiful sight is? _**

**_Only I know. I love cliffhangers._**

**_Well, I love you guys lots. _**

**_Lady Anata_**


	8. The Foretelling

**Chapter 8: The Foretelling**

Five young adults sat in a damp and cold area, motionless. No, they were not dead, they were just...lost. It was as though they were in a coma-like state. Yet, at the same time, they were not. They were just there...waiting...slowly losing hope.

"Dan," a whisper came out from Julie's voice. Dan turned his head a bit toward Julie's cell and looked at her. She looked as though she was crying. Her eyes were pink, result of the tears that came from her the night before. It had been four days since they were separated from Alice and Shun. Now, Dan was beginning to lose hope. "It'll be fine," Julie said trying to console her friend. By the look in his eyes, she could tell he was not himself.

"Don't!" He screamed out. This took Julie, Joe, and Marucho by surprise. Runo just turned her gaze from the window to look at him, eyes emotionless. "We'll be stuck in here forever. There's no way we'll ever see our friends and family!" Tears began forming in his eyes. To the rest of them, it seemed strange to see Dan cry because of this. He was always the optimistic one.

_So, why a change of heart now, Dan? _Runo wondered to herself.

"Dan, we'll be fine," Joe said, his voice barely audible. Masquerade had taken their Bakugan to assure no fights. They hadn't eaten since before they were kidnapped by Masquerade. It wasn't that Masquerade had not been hospitable enough to bring them food. They just chose not to eat it. Then again, who would want to eat out of the hands of their enemies?

"Yeah, Dan," Marucho chided in, his voice like Joe. They were all weak. "We've been in tighter spots before."

"Like what?! Huh, Marucho?!" Dan asked, his voice filled with anger and venom. This was definitely not the Dan they had know for the past couple of months they had spent together. It was like his alter-ego.

"HEY DON'T YELL AT HIM, DANIEL!" Julie screamed back as she watched tears swell in Marucho's eyes. "It's not his fault!"

"So then whose fault is it, Julie?!" Dan retorted back with sarcasm in his voice. "What is it mine like always? God! Stop calling me Daniel like you're my mother or something, 'coz you know what? YOU'RE NOT!!"

...

_Clap_

...

_Clap_

...

"Bravo," a sly voice came from the stairs above them. Each of them looked up, no hope in their eyes. There, behind Masquerade, was a more sinister form. Hal-G. "So, Masquerade, when you told me they were an entertaining group you were not lying?" Hal-G cocked his head a bit to look at them more. "So amusing."

Masquerade chuckled. "You should have been here earlier. Then you would have been amused a bit longer."

Dan growled through his teeth. "Let us go!" he said, but even though he meant it with force, he barely had enough strength to make it go above a whisper.

Again, Masquerade chuckled. "Have we not gone through this before, Daniel?" he asked, his tone amused.

"Gone through what?" asked Joe.

"Him demanding me to let him go, me chuckling, and as usual answering it with the same exact answer. Come to think of it, I'm kind of getting tired of answering it," he turned to look at Julie with his piercing gaze. This made Julie bite back a bit and look down. "Why don't you do me the honor of saying it for me, Julianna?" He asked, and she could tell this was not a rhetorical question.

...

...

Silence.

...

...

"Don't do it!" Dan, Joe, and Marucho screamed out in unison.

...

...

"Now," he growled out and suddenly he had all five bakugan in his hands. Julie gasped.

"What are you going to do with them?" asked a scared Marucho. Masquerade floated down toward their cells and pushed a couple of buttons on the keypad on the wall.

"How about I tell you?" Hal-G suggested. Everyone heard him, but kept their gaze on Masquerade as he finished pressing the buttons on the pad. "See those cylinder looking glasses connected to the walls of your cells. This is where we extract your Bakugan's powers." Everyone gasped, except for Runo, whom remained silent. "But, that is not all. Each glass container is connected to your own cell. Your Bakugan's powers will go through it, and, whatever attribute they may have, is they attribute you will be hurt, or possibly killed, with." He ended, his mouth in a sly smile.

Carefully, Masquerade put each Bakugan in the right container.

"This will be the beginning of the end for you, brawlers."

* * *

"Oh my God," a female voice whispered out in awe. Alice and Shun were currently riding on the back of Skyress, who was slowly floating toward the three beautiful things ahead of them. To call them things was like cursing. Nothing so beautiful could be classified as things. They could not even be classified as humans. They were just...

"Beautiful," Shun whispered out looking around him. The form on the right side of the three glowed a beautiful pink. Now, Shun wasn't a person to admit he liked pink or that it was even a real color, but even he had to admit, this pink was unlike all the rest. Its light just showed its radiance.

To the left was a gorgeous blue color. It was just like the pink one, just as beautiful.

...

...

But the middle was the most beautiful. Even though it was only a white color, it shown just as much, if not, more than the others. It was as though white was the most gorgeous and radiant color in the world. It was...

"Indescribable," whispered out an amazed Skyress.

"Do you see that?" asked Alice in a quiet voice. Shun turned to look at her. Her eyes were no longer their beautiful color, but now a darker red that was even more beautiful. Her face soften as she continued looking at the three forms. "Their so beautiful," she said in a soothing voice.

Alice felt a hand on her shoulder, which shocked her, and looked back at Shun. "I don't see them," he said, his voice solemn. Suddenly, he heard smooth, water-like voices. "But-I...I think I hear them," he said as he continued to look at her. Slowly, his finger traveled up to her lips and made a sign for her to not talk. "Look at them and tell me what you see. I will tell you what I hear," he instructed in a calm voice.

Alice nodded and averted her gaze toward the forms. Her eyes turned that red color again.

"What is it?" Skyress asked, impatience soon getting the best of her. She was still drifting toward them forms.

Alice continued to look at them as she spoke. "The one to the left, the blue one, it's a male. He has his arms crossed as though he's irritated with something." Her eyes shifted toward the pink radiant light. "The pink one is definitely a female. She's waving us forward. I think she may want us to come toward her." At that, Skyress picked up her speed a bit.

"And the white one?" Skyress asked as she contiued toward the lights.

Alice hesitated for a bit. "I-I cannot see it. I do not know the gender or what it is doing. I just know it's moving. I feel blind," she said as she brought her eyes back to her normal colors. She brought her head down in defeat.

"It's not your fault, young one," Skyress said, trying to soothe her.

Alice nodded. "Shun?" she called.

Shun waited a while before he looked at her. "They were calling us over. You seem to be right. The blue one is irritated because he wishes for us to get there faster. It's the masculine voice we heard before and he doesn't seem too patient," he explained as he tossed a look to the blue light. He could now see the form since they were so close. Shun continued. "The pink one is the feminine voice we heard. She was calling us and encouraging us to use our powers. When she figured out we were, she shouted with glee." Skyress landed on something even though there was no land. She walked toward the three forms. Even though they were this close, they still couldn't make out the white light, but Alice could now hear them and Shun could see them. "And I couldn't hear the white light."

"Welcome young ones," the female voice greeted. "I am Arithia and the man to the left of the white light, as you call it, is Zepher, and we are your guards. Now, come forward and will be explained." And that is exactly what Shun and Alice did.

* * *

**"Prayess. Attribute: water."**

Prayess popped out of his form and looked at Marucho. "I'm sorry, old buddy. But we can't withstand these things."

Marucho's tears slowly slipped out of his eyes as a thick glass wall covered his cell. Prayess watched, pain filling him as his cell closed on him, too.

...

...

A rushing sound could be heard around his cell as water from nowhere filled his now closed cell. A look of fright struck his face. He would drown to death.

* * *

"...therefore, we have little time left," Zepher explained, his voice harsh. "You're friends are in grave danger."

"What do you mean?!" Alice said in amazement. Shun looked taken back.

This time it was Arithia's turn to speak. "It is you're job as the chosen ones to stop Naga and connect the..."

* * *

**"Golem. Attribute: earth."**

"I am sorry, Julie, but there is nothing I can do to stop this," Golem explained in a solemn voice. Julie didn't seem to hear him.

"No, there is no hope for us," she said, looking up at Masquerade. She had an ominous tone to her voice. "Even if our friends Shun and Alice come and save, it would not be in time. The world is yours," she concluded, finally answering the question Masquerade asked her to answer a while back ago.

Masquerade smirked as both Julie and Golem's cell doors closed. "Too late, sweetheart. But I'll tell Shun and Alice you said goodbye."

A slithering sound filled Julie's ears as she stood up. Sand slowly came down from the ceiling, pebbles and rocks included. A look of sadness crossed her faced. She would be buried alive.

* * *

"We cannot tell you much now, for your friends will perish if you do not save them in time. But, this you must know." Arithia looked at them both.

Alice and Shun looked at them incredulously.

"Your powers will grow in due time. When they feel it is time. And this light next to me...it's in you. The both of you. All the worlds' fate is held in your hands. It's up to you to destroy the face of real evil..."

* * *

**"Drago. Attribute: fire."**

"Daniel," Drago hesitated. He wobbled around to look at his partner. "Thank you for this grand journey."

...

...

Dan looked at Drago and Drago stared back at Dan. As his glass closed, Dan reached his hand out.

...

"Never forget."

Heat engulfed around Dan's body. He turned frightened. Dan looked left and right. Flames grew around his small, little box of a cell. The glass shield would only produce more heat for him, as the flames took over. They would burn him-no, not dead-but alive.

* * *

"But, how can we do this?" Alice's little voice asked. "How do we hold so much power?"

"And not even know?" Shun added in.

...

...

"Shun, I knew." All eyes turned to-

* * *

**"Wyvern. Tigrerra. Attribute: light."**

"Don't do this, Wyvern," cried Joe from his already closed cell. Tears were streaming down his face. "You're stronger, no-better, than this. Please-," he was cut off by his bakugan.

"No, Joe. You are better than this," she said calmly, looking at his tears and eyes. "You have always been stronger. I know you will find a way...," but before she could finish, the torture began.

Joe looked around frantically. He, like Runo, would be-

* * *

"This armor now belongs to you, Skyress," Arithia said spiritually.

"Now, what will you children do?" asked Zephyr.

...

...

...

"What we must!" They said as they both looked at each other, smiling.

The spiritual beings smiled, but it soon turned to a frown. "Look into this portal and open your eyes!"

* * *

_At this rate, the light will engulf me and make me blind_, thought an emotionless Runo. _My body will be disentergrated in a matter of minutes._

"Lady Runo, I'm sorry," apologized a sad Tigrerra. She was about to go on when she saw her master smile.

As the light increased and Runo felt herself slip away into oblivion, she smiled and the site. "You were always like my sister...so...

...

_Dan_

_..._

_Julie_

_..._

_Joe_

_..._

_Marucho_

_..._

_Shun_

_..._

_None of them could compare to our bond._

"...thanks for being here to see...my...end," and her eyes closed.

* * *

"RUNO!!!"

...

...

_This white light..._

_It's in the both of you._

_Thanks for being here..._

_to see..._

_The Foretelling Of It All._

_The Foretelling Of The End._

_..._

_The Foretelling_

* * *

**_Yes, another chapter in a week plus a day. I'm on a role. Two more chapters left and it's over. So what do you think will happen in the next chapter? SO much suspense, right?_**

**_Well tell me your thoughts. What do you think happened to Runo? What did she see? And who screamed Runo's name? The answer is all inside._**

**_Thanks for reviewing._**

**_Lady Anata_**


	9. Prologue Of The End

**Chapter 9: Prologue of the End**

* * *

To Runo it was simply beautiful. The light that surrounded her was like no light she has ever seen before. When she was younger, about six, she would look up at the light above her from her bed. Now, her mother always told her staring up at the light for too long of a time could make her lose her eyesight. But, what did it matter to a six-year old. The light was just so intriguing to her.

Sometimes, her mother or father would walk in on her staring up at the light. They would scold her for not listening to what they had said before. When they stopped their scolding, she would turn her head toward her parents, nod, and wait for them to leave. Then, she would return her gaze to the bright light above her.

When she looked at the light, she would see things that were never clear to her before. It was as though she was looking into a sanity mirror of some sort. All the questions she ever asked...the answers-well, they would soon become clear to her. It wasn't like there was anyone there answering her questions. Oh no. It was just her answering her own questions. But sometimes it seemed as though there was a hand reaching out every now and then to help her. Everything seemed to be so clear in the light. _Only in the light..._

At the age of ten, she wanted to know where babies came from. Actually, she wanted to know before she became ten, but each time she would ask that question, she noticed her parents seemed to shy away from it. It was as though it was something to be ashamed of.

After a heated argument with her parents about why they would not tell her, she ran into her room and threw herself on her bed, face up. She began to stare at the light. For a couple of hours, she just stared, and stared, and stared.

Shortly after staring at the light for such a long amount of time, her eyelids began to drift a bit. They would close one second, open the next, close, open, and finally, closed for a while. She was asleep.

Runo was not a light sleeper. On the contrary, she would role around the bed and sometimes even fall. This had happened since she was at a young age. It was so bad her parents eventually put their heads together and put pillows on both sides of the bed. This time, though, they did not, for they had no idea that she had fell asleep.

A couple of hours after not seeing Runo for a while, her mother grew worried, and both she and her husband walked up the stairs toward Runo's room. Opening the door, they gasped in unison.

There Runo lay, on the ground, blood gushing out of her head. Quickly, calling the ambulance, they got her out of the house and to the hospital. There, they learned she was in a coma.

Minutes turned into hours. Hours turned into one day. A day turned into weeks. By week four, her mother had just about given up hope on her one and only daughter. Through these four weeks, there was not one movement. The doctors had no answers. The nurses could only give consoling looks toward the couple. They could only wonder what was going inside the head of young Runo.

_Minutes_

_..._

_Hours_

_..._

_Days_

_..._

_Weeks_

_..._

_"Only in the light..."_

* * *

"So you have decided to join us, hm?" Hal-G scathing voice called out from underneath the sky that Skyress was not flying motionless on. Shun glared down at Hal-G, ready for a fight, yet holding Alice back behind him in a protective stance.

"Let them go," Shun said quietly, but deadly. His grip on Alice strengthened a bit, but not to the point where she could feel pain.

Ignoring him, Hal-G continued on. "And look, Masquerade. Shun and Skyress were so kind enough to bring the guest of honor."

Masquerade looked up and chuckled.

"And that would be?" Skyress prompted.

...

...

Silence.

...

"Alice," Masquerade said loud enough for them to barely hear. He stole a glance at Hal-G, which did not go unnoticed by Shun, and looked back up at Skyress, a smirk now in place on his face.

Skyress growled.

"Shall we dance?" Masquerade asked, and all three of them knew this was a rhetorical question. With a snap of his finger Hydranoid swiftly came down from the hole that Skyress came through and hit her dead on.

"Get off now, Shun!" Skyress commanded as they fell toward the ground where Masquerade and Hal-G stood. "I can't retaliate back in time," she continued, her voice filled with fright.

"No, but maybe I can," Alice said confidently. Quickly closing her eyes, she put a field around Skyress. Concentrating, Alice brought her hands together. Once they clasped, she felt Skyress regain her composure and fly back upward. Opening her eyes, Alice saw that she was able to reflect Hydranoid's force off of Skyress.

"Nice job, Alice," Skyress complimented as she slowly flew back up. Shun nodded in agreement. "You two jump as we past that staircase up above. Take on Hal-G and Masquerade."

"Right, Skyress," Shun agreed. "You take care of Masquerade."

Skyress nodded. "Can do. The stairway is coming up. Get ready-AH!" Skyress screeched as she was hit by one of Hydranoid's attacks. Shun and Alice both tumbled off, and missed the stairway by a few inches.

Shun grabbed Alice by the wrist and situated her in his arms like they were just married. Looking down at her and seeing her look up into his eyes, he asked, "Do you trust me?"

...

"Yes."

...

Securing her in his arms he felt her use her powers to push them toward a wall to the left of them. The rest was up to him. As he felt his feet connect with the wall, he started running at lightning speed down it. The faster he went the safer his friends would be.

"I don't think so," Hal-G's voice came as he quickly teleported next to them. Seeing what Hal-G was about to do, Shun quickly threw Alice away from him, just in time for Hal-G's menacing kick to throw him into the north wall. His impact with the wall let him slide down it, shaking his head in retaliation.

As he finished shaking his head, he was able to concentrate. He then noticed that Hal-G was merely a few feet away from him. Shun smirked and put his left hand on his right side. "I'm guessing you're my opponent." He slowly picked up his left hand from his side, a beam of light showing until it turned into a solid form. A sword. "So be it," and they charged at each other.

_Cling!_

Alice quickly got up from falling on the ground. Moving her shoulder around, she noted it was not dislocated. "Runo," she whispered as she began running toward her friend's cell. Masquerade quickly appeared in front of her. She stopped suddenly. "Move."

He chuckled. "So, now that my girl has some powers she gains confidence." She grimaced a bit, but steadied herself for a fight. "Pitty, though," he continued on. "Think of all the peace we could have brought into this wretched place you call earth together."

"Move," she said again, a little louder this time. He went on as though she made no sound, though.

"But I guess now it will be even more fun," he continued. "You and I, working together, not in one body, but in our own," he walked toward her like a lion getting ready to pounce on his prey. With each step he took toward her, she took one back from him. She hit the wall, tears in her eyes. All she did was blink once, what a huge mistake.

There stood Masquerade, pinning her against the wall. His face was close to hers. "Now, we can be together," he brought his lips to her lightly. "Forever," and he kissed her obsessively.

Shun quickly looked toward them and saw what was happening. Hal-G took this as his chance and, with his sword, stabbed Shun right in the shoulder blade area. Shun gave a loud gasp.

Alice turned from the forceful kiss and looked toward where she heard the gasp. What she saw made her eyes widen. There lay Shun against the wall, sword in his chest, or that's what it looked like to her. Tears filled her eyes.

"No," she whispered, but Masquerade just pinned himself closer to her body, feeling every detail.

"Yes," he whispered back.

"No," she continued shaking her head. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, NO!!!!!!!" she let out a heart-aching scream. Suddenly, the whole room turned white and everyone was blinded by...

_...the light..._

_

* * *

_

"Don't you want some help?" a small voice asked. The blue-headed little girl looked up to see a red-headed little girl smiling down at her. Runo was currently on the ground, just sitting there. "Well, do you?" the red-headed girl asked again.

Runo looked at her and said, "My daddy told me to never take anything-not even help-from a stranger," she said quietly. The girl before her was simply beautiful. She was everything she ever wanted in a sister.

"Well fine," the red-headed girl said, but didn't sound mad at all. Runo looked up at her suspiciously. "My name is Alice Gehabich and I'm from Russia. Now I'm not a stranger. Who are you?" She asked sweetly.

...

Runo's suspicious gaze ended. "I'm Runo Misaki from Tokyo, Japan. But," her eyes fell a bit. "I don't know where I am," Runo said as she looked around. All there was surrounding her was light. And for once, Runo could not take so much light.

Seeing tears well up in her new friend's eyes, Alice comforted her and said, "Don't worry, silly. You're in your head. And...you just need a way out. A way home."

"Where is that?"

Alice slowly put her hand out in front of her, a gesture for Runo to grab on, which Runo did, not hesitance at all. When Runo was back up Alice instructed, "Look around you and tell me what you see."

Runo stared around her and saw light. She was about to answer that with the word light when she saw figures...familiar figures. "I see..."

_"Whoa!" exclaimed Dan as he looked up. "Runo, are you in a brawl or something?" he asked. Said girl came up from behind him and smacked him upside the head. "Hey!" _

_"Idiot, do I look like I'm in a brawl?" she asked hands on her hips._

"Dan."

_"Come on guys," Joe said in a hurry. "We have to keep on looking." _

_"Geeze, Joe, take your time," Julie complained. Her legs were killing her. "Isn't there some other way to move around." _

_"Can you sprout wings and fly?" asked Runo and Marucho at the same time. Julie huffed and shook her head._

"And Joe, Julie, and Marucho," she said as her eyes began to widen. Alice's smile spread even wider. Tears filled her eyes as she began to continue. "And I see you and Shun...and momma and dad...and...I-I see the light," while she continued talking she began growing up into her normal age. "I see all of you waiting..."

"Then go," the now grown-up Alice instructed. "And be with us."

* * *

When Runo opened her eyes she saw Julie, Marucho, and Dan all staring down at her. Slowly she smiled up at them as she quickly sat up and embraced Dan. Dan hugged her back, but solemnly. Runo noticed this.

She back off and asked, "What's wrong?" she looked at them, but no one answered. To her far left she heard sobs. Alice's sobs. Quickly she stood up and ran toward Alice and Joe, who were both kneeling on the ground. When she got to them she gasped.

"Shun," Alice sobbed. Her hands rested on his now bare chest where blood was seeping out. Her hands were glowing green as she tried to heal him. She shook her head.

The other bakugan transformed and went toward Skyress who was on the other side of Shun's stiff body.

"Shun, Shun, Shun, come on," Alice sobbed in a begging voice. "Don't do this. Not now," she said, tears now leaking from her eyes. Joe put an arm around her shoulder as everyone else huddled together. The bakugan did the same, too. "Remember, we're going to see your mom at the hospital when we get home," she continued, still sobbing.

"Alice," Joe called, trying to comfort her.

"And we were going to stay with her and make her time happy," she continued, but you could barely tell it was her. Her voice had so much pain in it.

"Alice, please," Joe tried again, but she did not answer.

"Shun, if you go, I swear I'll...," she stopped suddenly. "Oh my God...no. No. No. NO!!"

* * *

**_Ahh crap I am actually crying. When I get myself into a chapter I really do it. I actually, to make this seem more real, put myself into this chapter as Alice and imagined everything I would be saying right now if that happened to someone I cared about. I got so emotional during this I actually said the things as I wrote them down. Good God! Never again. _**

**_Well, I'm sorry about this...I know you guys probably hate me, but there is a reason for this. And if you are a good reviewer and very loyal and will actually read the next chapter you will see why I did do this. It all fits in with my future plans. Here's a sneak peak at next the next chapter, which is the final chapter, will be out this week since I don't have to stay after school for sports._**

PREVIEW:

She looked up at him.

"Why did you do that?" she asked, sincerity burning in her voice.

He looked back down at her and put his hand on her cheek. "To tell you thank you. And...to erase every bit of him out of your mind."

...

They looked at each other and she gave a sad smile.

**_THATS ALL YOU GET!! BETTER HAVE IT ON STORY ALERT BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO MISS! _**

**_I love you guys and I know you will make the right choice in continuing or discontinuing your reading of this story. _**

**_Love,_**

**_Lady Anata_**


	10. My Knight In Black Armor

**Chapter 10: My Knight In Black Armor**

* * *

...

...

...

"So this is what it feels like to lose someone, huh?" a small female voice asked to no one in particular. This voice belonged to Alice. Alice was usually a very happy young woman, but not today. Her voice had lost its bubbly sound. She was not her usual optimistic self. The pain of losing someone close to her was just too much for this young fourteen year old to handle.

Yes, she had handled the loss of her parents, but she was so much younger then. Now, she was older, and understood more about death. So much more than before.

...

_"Auntie Manna?" a young Alice called to get her Aunt's attention. Her aunt, who was currently on her knees in the garden, looked up. This showed the young girl that she was listening. "Do you know where mommy and daddy went?" Alice asked, fiddling with her fingers. _

_Manna sighed. She knew this day was to come. _

_Manna and her husband, Derek, had adopted Alice at the age of three. You see, one day, there was a great fire in Africa, where Manna's sister and Alice's mother was stationed. Manna loved her sister as much as Alice did. She begged Alice's mother not to go to the country of Africa. Manna did not believe that Africa was an evil place, as some people told her, but the place her sister and her sister's husband was planning to go was very barbaric. She couldn't even remember the name of the place right now..._

_**...even if she wanted to think about it...**_

_But, Alice's mother would not listen. She was intent on going and following her dreams of being a great archaeologist, just like her father-in-law, Michael. Manna, seeing that she could not change her older sister's mind, let it go. Of course, in the couple of months that this trip was planned, Manna continued to look after her sister's well-being. When they finally got into a fight, Manna let her fear for her sister go and soon turned it on to something else. Or, rather, someone else._

_..._

_..._

**_...Alice._**

_..._

_..._

_At the time, Alice was only two, her third birthday coming up in a couple of months. Alice was a bright young girl. She learned to read Curious George stories at the age of two. When she was about eight months of age, she was able to pick up the tiniest thing on the floor, even a pin. When she first learned to talk, she practiced her ABC's. By a year and a half, she was able to write her who name down. She even understood how to speak a little bit of Spanish. A pride and joy._

_**...A pride and joy...**_

_Yes, that is exactly what she was. Alice was not only a pride and joy to her parents, but also to the rest of her family. They all lived in one small town, aunts, uncles, cousins, everyone. Alice was currently the youngest on both sides of the family. So, whenever you would go out shopping on the town, everyone would ask how little Alice was doing and if she was learning anything more. She was like a star to those people. _

_But, that was not why her aunt wanted to keep her. Oh, no. That would be too selfish, which was something Manna was not. She begged her sister to let Alice stay. There were so many reason she would give._

**_The sand loves when..the waves come;  
The sky can't wait...for the light of the sun._**

_"Dezanie, think of all the wonderful things she could learn here?" Manna said, trying to convince her sister to let Alice stay. This was the first night they had talked after their own little fight on why they should not go to Africa period. _

_Dezanie merely shook her head. "Maiko Anna Livine Jadeston, how many times must you were about us? She can learn all of what she could learn here, plus more, in Africa," she replied, scolding her younger sister. Manna pouted when she used her full name. That's what she always did when trying to prove a point. "Alice will be fine, and, furthermore, you are not her parent, nor guardian, so you have no reason to worry about my daughter like she is your own." And with that, Dezanie stalked off, leaving her younger sister awestruck. _

_"I may not be her guardian, but that doesn't mean I will ever stop worrying about my baby niece," Manna mumbled to herself. _

_The second time that Manna could remember was when they were at the airport, saying their goodbyes. _

**_So how could you...look me in my eye  
And not see what what i feel inside..._**

_"Maiko Anna, don't you worry about us," Dezanie instructed, holding a two-year old Alice in her arms. Her husband, Michael II, stood by her side, arm wrapped around her waste. "We'll be just fine. Africa is not as barbaric as everyone thinks it is."_

_"I understand that, Dez, but...it's just that...the place we're you're going is so much more different than the rest of the world," Manna answered back. "Don't you understand what I'm saying!" Manna raised her voice, trying to get her point. _

_Dezanie shook her head, a sad smile showing on her face. "No, I'm sorry. I don't understand. I don't see what you see. I have my own eyes," she continued, holding on to Alice a little bit tighter. _

_With that, the family of three turned away. Now, how was Manna supposed to know that that would be the last time she ever saw her darling sister on her country's soil again? _

_The third time, and the last time, they had a fight, was the last time they would ever be allowed...able...to have a fight again. _

_But, as Manna sits on her knees doing her garden, she wonders, could that really be considered a fight...or a thank you. Thank you for doing so much more than you know._

**_Tell me how could you...doubt the fact that I love you..._**

_"Why give her to me now?" Manna asked, though she was not protesting it. She was in Africa, at her sister's little home on a hill. They had been living there for eight months, and, since it was Alice's birthday, Manna took the first flight she could fine there. Even though she was supposed to be there to give her niece a present, she received one of her own. _

_Dezanie hesitated. Manna knew something was up. The only time Dezanie really hesitated was when she was wrong, but did not want to admit it. "I was wrong," she explained quietly. Usually, when Dezanie ever admitted something like this, Manna would pretend that she could not hear her older sister and ask for her to speak up. But, this time, she could see it was very serious. _

_"About what?" And Dezanie could tell that her sister seriously wanted to know. _

_She proceeded to explain. "About Alice and this Africa idea," she looked around when she said this. Mostly, though, she looked outside. "It's so beautiful here, I know. It's just that...I fear there is something out here, that was not back at home, after my daughter." Manna was shocked. _

_"But why have me take her home?" Manna asked. "Was it not you who said-," she was cut off by her sister's hard voice._

_"Maiko Anna Livine Jadeston!" Dezanie snapped. "I know what I said, but now I am taking it back. Just take my daughter and go home!" She screamed, tears in her eyes. Alice woke up and peered out of the wall she was near. Manna saw this, but Dezanie didn't. Alice's eyes teared. _

_"Dezanie-," but again she was cut off._

_"If you really loved me you would take Alice and go!" Manna eyes widened. _

_"But..."_

_**I love you**_

_"Alice, come here, sweetie," Manna called as she sat up a bit more from doing her garden work. The four-year old Alice looked up, tears in her eyes, and slowly made her way toward her aunt._

_When she got to her aunt she said quietly, "It's because she never loved me." Manna had looked taken back by this. It wasn't a question, it was a statement. She was saying it as though it was a fact. _

_"Now, Alice, you know that's not true," Manna half-hearted scolded. The other half of her heart was surprised she would even think that way. Here her niece was, only four and about to be five, thinking like that. That was something teenagers usually thought, not toddlers. _

_"If it's not true than why did she ask you...NO beg you to take me away!?" Alice asked, her voice raised to her fullest. Again, Manna looked taken back. Tears filled in her eyes as well. It was now apparent that Alice had come in at the wrong part of the conversation. Why could she not have just come before and stayed a little bit longer? "Did she hate me? Did she need the money?! Did she just not want me?! Was daddy in on this?! Does no one lo-,"_

_**SMACK!!!!!**_

**_Don't you ever...think like that.  
Don't you ever...never do that?_**

_Manna was in tears. "Don't...d-don't you ever say that! Don't you ever believe that! Your mother and you," she continued, twisting her middle finger and index finger together to make her point, "were like this. You guys are still like this. You were her spitting image!" Manna practically screamed. Alice looked at her aunt, wrapped her small arms around her, and apologized. _

**_There will never be two things...that go together better  
Than you and me....  
_**

* * *

"How's Alice holding up?" asked a, for once, concerned Dan. They were all at Runo's family restaurant, waiting for news. They sat down in little booths, all five: Joe, Maurcho, Julie, Runo, and Dan. Their parents were behind them. Everyones' parents were there, except Alice's and Shun's. It seemed as though no one had heard Dan's question, for everyone just sat their in silence. Only Runo looked up into his eyes and acknowledged him.

The Bakugan all sat together in a circle on the table that was occupied by their masters. "Daniel," Drago began. "I am sure you can answer that by yourself."

...

...

But Dan didn't answer. His eyes stood still as he stared down Runo. She just stared back. Tigrerra looked up at Runo's eyes. There, she could see so many emotions. Sadness, confusion, hurt, pain, love, and...wishful thinking.

Quietly, Dan slid his hand across the table and in Runo's hand. Runo gazed at him more intently. "We'll get through this as a team. I know you wish that she'd come back down right now, but I know Alice," Dan tried to reassure. Runo looked at him like he had grown two heads, but Dan didn't notice the gaze. The others did.

**_So how could you...look me in my eye  
And not see what what i feel inside_**

"Dan," Julie spoke up in a quiet voice. "I don't think-," not letting her finish, Dan cut her off hurriedly.

"She'll be fine, Julie!" Dan snapped in a harsh, but hushed tone.

Marucho piped in this time. "But how could you-," cut off again.

"I just know she'll be!" he screamed out again.

...

...

...

"Dan, I think what they're trying to say," and Joe held up his hand to keep Dan quiet. "is that how could you say that. If anyone of us knows Alice, it's-," and he was cut off. This time, though, it was not by Dan, but by Runo.

"I know her better than you!" she snapped at Dan, pulling her hand out from Dan's. This caused the parents and bakugan to look up at Runo, who had tears brimming in her eyes.

"M'lady, please calm down," Tigrerra chided.

Runo shook her head violently. "No! He doesn't know Alice at all," she accused. "He never hung out with her that much even though she would try! He never went to the park with her when she'd asked him to! He never washed the dishes with her when it was so obvious she needed help! She couldn't do it on her own! He never-"

"Stop this right now, Runo!" Tigrerra yelled from beneath her. Runo was taken back at this. She got up from her seat and ran out the door. She never heard Tigrerra not call her M'lady.

When she ran outside she slipped due to rain. Before she had the chance to connect to the ground she felt two arms wrap around her waste. Looking up, she saw it was Dan, holding her protectively, while looking down. Silently he helped her up, until she could stand on her own two feet.

"I-," he began, but Runo cut him off as she pushed herself into a hug with him.

"I lied!" she cried through her tears. "I lied. I lied. I lied. I lied," she continued, sobbing. "**_I_** never hung out with **_her_** when she tried! **_I_** avoided **_her_**!**_ I_** never went to the park when **_we_** had time and **_she_** asked **_me_** to! **_I_** never helped **_her_** wash the dishes when it was obvious **_she_** needed **_my_** help! **_I_** never did anything right with **_her_**! **_I'm_** a hypocrite. **_I_** deserve to be in the pain **_she_** is in now, but**_ I'm_** not! **_I_** call myself **_her_** best **_friend_**. But how could **_she_** ever love **_me_**?! **_I'm_** a monster!"

...

...

...

Two arms encircled around her. She looked up, seeing Dan looking back down at her. He kissed her on the forehead gently, and mumbled, "I've seen the way she talks to you, looks at you, hugs you, and releases your fears. Some things I've always wanted to do," he lifted his face from her head. "She looks at you as though you were her sister. Don't doubt that."

**_Tell me how could youuuu... doubt the fact that I  
I love you...I love you_**

"He's right you know," and they both turned around to look at the face of Shun's grandfather.

* * *

"What have I done?" Alice asked herself as she looked into the mirror in Runo's room.

...

_patter_

...

"I'm a terrible person," she said in a trembling voice.

...

_patter-patter_

_..._

"I always do this."

...

_patter-patter-patter_

_..._

"I always send away the people I care about."

...

_Thud_

_..._

"I always push them away!" Her voice grew louder as tears dripped from her face.

...

_Thud-Thud_

_..._

"I'm no good for anyone," she said as she took out her suitcase, open her drawers, and threw clothing in there.

...

_Knock_

_..._

"I'm like a virus! A dumb, stupid, virus!" More clothes filled her suitcase.

...

_Knock-Knock_

...

"I always hurt the people I love!" She screamed as she picked up a ceramic ornament and prepared to throw it at a mirror. She swung her arm up, but it never came back down. Something was holding it back. Something was holding it up.

**_Don't you ever...think like that.  
Don't you ever...never do that?_**

"Don't think that," a quiet and musical voice said from behind her. She popped her closed eyes opened. When she looked in the mirror she gasped.

"Shun," she whispered out through unmoving lips.

There said boy was, standing in all his glory, right behind her. He was wearing his normal black pants and a black shirt. His hair was up in his usual ponytail, but it seemed more beautiful to her. His eyes were his beautiful, amber color. His face, though it had scars on them, was still beautiful to her.

"Don't think those things," he continued, releasing her grasp on her arm. Carefully, he took the item from her hand and placed it back on the nightstand. He noticed she was frozen. Slowly and cautiously, he lowered her down on to the bed, both of them sitting up. Seeming as if though she had no backbone, she fell on her back on the bed. He looked down at her.

She was beautiful.

...

...

**_There will never be two things...that go together better  
Than you and me...._**

Slowly, he bent his head toward her head and kissed her. It was a long kiss, but not a harsh one like the one Masquerade had given her. It was just...long, but beautiful and sweet. His lips were so soft, unlike Masquerade's. The way he kissed, not asking for dominance, but just kissing her, was so calm. It was like she was kissing a cloud or a baby's skin. He would lift his head up and come back down and kissed her on spots on her lips. He had not missed a spot. It wasn't reckless. It was sweet. It wasn't thoughtless. It was careful. And most importantly...

...

...

It wasn't wrong like Masquerades.

...

...

It was right...as though the belonged together.

...

...

When he stopped, he looed at her from the top of her face to the bottom of it. She blushed at this action. He smirked as he noticed this.

**_North needs south_**

His eyes looked into her right eye first and traveled to the left eyes. They were both so pure, both so perfect.

**_East needs west..._**

No one could steal this moment from him.

**_No needs yes yes yes._**

He stared at her bangs to the bottom of her hair. It was just so flawless. Silently, he ran a hand through it, reveling in the silk.

**_Up needs down_**

"I thought I lost you," she spoke. She was breathing hard. He smirked and chuckled.

"All part of life," he merely said.

**_Life needs death..._**

He felt whole when he was with her.

She felt whole when she was with him.

...

...

No one could take this feeling away from them.

**_No needs yes yes yes._**

She looked up at him. His face was just so beautiful. The way she looked at him, it was as though she could see past the scars that were small, but marred on his face.

"Why did you do that?" she asked, sincerity burning in her voice.

He looked back down at her and put his hand on her cheek. "To tell you thank you. And...to erase every bit of him out of your mind."

...

They looked at each other and she gave a sad smile.

...

...

"Here's the shard," she said as she pulled a diamond-shaped crystal out of her pocket. It was amazing. The color was not even one that you could describe. He noticed that there was a little hole at the tip of it. He grabbed a piece of string out of his pocket, put it through the hole, and quickly placed it around the neck.

"You can protect it," he said. _Just as you have protected my heart, _he thought to himself.

**_I need you  
Oh baby I need you  
No noooo noooo  
Everyday..I need you  
Na na na na noooo  
You...I need you_**

"Thank you so much," she said as she hugged him, sobbing into his chest. "For everything."

_**No noooo noooo  
Hey hey Heyyyy  
I need youuu  
No noooo noooo  
Hey hey heyyyyy  
Like the desert needs the rain**_

He wrapped his arms around her, nervously at first. It was the first time he had ever embraced a female other than his mom and since his mom has been in the hospital.

...

...

It felt warm. Not the warmth he felt during a Bakugan battle. No. The weird kind of warmth he felt...well, that he has not really felt in a while.

...

...

_**Like joy needs pain.**_

_I'm safe, _Alice thought. _I'm safe in the arms of _

_My Knight In Black Armor._

* * *

_"I'm happy he lived," Arithia said quietly. She was looking at them through a ripple in the demension she had made. "Amazing is it not?" she asked her soul partner. _

_Zepher grunted. Arithia rolled her eyes. In all the centuries that she had known him, he was never much for giving an emotional moment. He would have liked death more than life, but that was just the way he was. "I knew he was not going to die," he said smugly. Again, she rolled her eyes. He was also not one for taking being wrong lightly._

_"Who would have thought our lives and demensions would be out into the hands of these two young ones," Arithia said to herself, not expecting Zepher to answer with anything else but a grunt. On time, he grunted. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes again. _

_"They have one shard. All they need is six more," he said, still ignoring her. _

_This time, she ignored him. "I think there's more to them that just their new mission," she said, looking at the two who were now downstairs with their friends. Everyone was rejoicing. "I think there is romance in these two. They just need help unlocking it," she giggled. "They are just like you and me once were, do you not think?" _

_Zepher blushed and looked at the white light in between them, trying to disregard what was just said. "Can we do it now?" he asked Arithia. _

_Arithia shook her head. "Now is not the time. Their bond may be strong, but not strong enough yet." _

_"Hn, I guess you are right," he agreed. "Pain needs the joy to get through his sorrow and joy needs the pain to get through her loss," he concluded._

_"Just like you and me!" Arithia said childishly. Zepher rolled his eyes. _

_"Women," he grunted. His remark was meet with a slap. _

_Pain needs the joy to get through his sorrow and joy needs the pain to get through her loss._

* * *

**_Words in bold that were in the middle were from the song, "I Need You" by Alicia Keys, my inspiration. _**

**_And the story is now finished! What a beautiful conclusion, if I may so myself. I saved Shun's life for you guys. Some of you, I'm sure, did not want to lose him. Besides, it just gets better and better with them ALL around. _**

**_So, what did you think of this final chapter? I love hearing your thoughts, though, I must say, this week I was almost brought down by one of my reviewers. Alxkend private messaged me saying a lot of hurtful stuff and I am not sure if he or she meant it jokingly, but it really hurt. The contents of the message will be kept private for I have no reasons in putting up a fight with anyone. Fights are for babies and I'm a toddler now. _**

**_This chapter ended with 4,408 words, the biggest amount of words ever used in one chapter of this story. I need to admit something, though. I believe I told you earlier on in My Knight In Black Armor, that I did this story as a challenge fic for one of my good friends. Well, here is something else. I did NOT think that this story would reach past thirty reviews even within all ten chapters. _**

**_At the time I started this story, there were as little as eight Bakugan stories on this sight. There was also no real area for Bakugan stories...AT ALL. So, to find this story you would have had to gone to the search engine and typed in the word "Bakugan" or some of the characters from the show. _**

**_Now, there are as much as eighty-two stories in the Bakugan Battle Brawlers Archive, with as much as twenty authors. I would also like to thank onlyIcanRULEtheWORLDlikeIdo, the author of, "Look's Like The Boy's To Shy" for making the first Bakugan story on this site on May 5, 2008. I bet she never knew her story, with as much as seven reviews, could help make a difference in this site by making more people want to write. _**

**_Well, I should now stop my rambling and thanking. Now, for what you have all been waiting for..._**

**_THERE WILL BE A SEQUEL!_**

**_I finished the outline on Tuesday. There will be fifteen chapters. The title will be:_**

**_My Darling Angel_**

**_It will be out by this Saturday, January 31, 2009. Just look for it anytime around the morning. This time, the story will be much better due to the fact that I have made an outline. _**

**_Thank you my many reviewers and may God bless you for reading this story. _**

**_See you on Saturday,_**

**_Lady Anata_**


	11. To the Future

_**I know, I know. You're probably wondering why I posted in this story after 5 years. Well…honestly…I just really wanted to say thank you so much for all the inspiration you guys gave me to write this story. Honestly, it is one of my favorite stories to write because of you amazing people. There was not one word in your reviews that ever brought me down. All who have read and reviewed this story 5 years ago only helped me open up my passion to write, so thank you.**_

_**While I did take a personal hiatus from writing on this site for a while, I would like to say I am now back and ready to go. This story's sequel, "My Darling Angel", is now off of hiatus and is expected to be concluded in late July of 2013. While I am sure most of my old reviewers have grown up and left me, I definitely encouraging the newer reviewers to review and read on; you words truly do help.**_

_**Thanks so much for all the love and the patience…and to the new readers/reviewers, thank you in advance just for checking out this old story. **_

_**Lots of Love,**_

_**~Lady Anata~**_

_**P.S. Feel free to give me any ideas on if you would like me to write something new. I'm open for anything.**_


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